Internal representations of others in self-regulation: A new look at a classic issue

Marlene M. Moretti, E. Tory Higgins

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The impact of internal representations of others on self-regulation has received little empirical attention. The current study measured people's own guides for their behavior and the guides they believed their parents held for them and distinguished between: (a) guides perceived as shared between oneself and parents (i.e., identified guides); (b) perceived parental guides not adopted as one's own (i.e., introjected guides); and (c) self-guides independent from one's parents. As hypothesized, only identified and independent guides significantly predicted emotional and interpersonal functioning. Introjected guides, the "felt presence" of parents within the self-system, did not predict functioning. Significant sex differences were found: Independent self-guides predicted emotional and interpersonal problems in men but not women; identified self-guides predicted functioning in women but not men. Results are discussed in relation to psychodynamic and relational theories of self-development and research on gender differences in socialization. The benefits and liabilities of a self-regulatory focus that emphasizes self-other relatedness are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)186-208
Number of pages23
JournalSocial Cognition
Volume17
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1999

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

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